Could this work re. school closures?

[SisterVanHelsing]

Lying awake at 4 a.m. having random 4 a.m. thoughts, I wondered if there was a way we could close schools without bringing the country to its economic and structural knees.

It was clear from everything that was said yesterday that BJ doesn't want to close schools because of the impact on frontline staffing if parents have to stay home.

What if those who work in schools, and are willing, add their names to a volunteer database of people who could childmind the dc of essential frontline workers e.g. NHS/social care/emergency services/pharmacy and shop workers etc? (Obviously only those who are totally unable to make their own arrangements.)

School workers have police clearance, so safe to leave kids with. Also experienced. Also (unless employed on casual basis) still being paid whilst school is closed.

Is this completely unworkable? I guess databases would have to be locally managed, so could be difficult to put into practice. Or is it a suggestion worth making (and if so, to whom)?

[roonilwazlibismynickname]

What about not. If my school is shut so is my child’s and I will be too busy looking after them and also teaching remotely. We are not just going to be sitting at home chilling out if schools are shut, we will be working from home like the majority of the population are able to do.

[halcyondays]

There is a country, I think it was Austria, that has closed schools except to children of medical staff.

As I keep saying, the potential childcare issues of medical staff are not a uniquely British problem. All the other countries that have closed schools still seem to be able to staff their hospitals.

[SisterVanHelsing]

I know, hence 'if are willing'.

[SisterVanHelsing]

Austrian plan seems good - I don't understand why it can't be done here.

[Reginabambina]

The government wants to flatten the curve to avoid a collapse of the NHS. This could go on for months.

[DoubleAction]

I dont think it's a terrible idea Sister but I think most staff where I work would react I exactly the roonilwazlibismynickname has.

Social workers would be very busy with their day job during any period of shut down. It will be a disaster for the families they support.

[DoubleAction]

You said school workers! I completely read that as Social Workers!

[okiedokieme]

It's not just medical staff - supermarkets, delivery drivers, those who do essential infrastructure jobs etc. I'm dbs checked so could take in kids if my work closes i suppose, my dd offered to watch her cousins

[SisterVanHelsing]

, I would be thinking well out of the box there, DoubleAction.

Re. flattening the curve, surely some (many?) schools will end up shut anyway because sickness will result in unworkable staffing levels. What will happen then?

[user246854]

I work in the school my dc goes to so know all the kids I've already said I will happily look after our nurses/key workers children to allow them to work if needed

[Theyrecomingtotakemeawayhaha]

As above its flattening the curve.If you think closing schools will make this virus go away you are mistaken all that would happen us that it would breakout again when they reopen and we don't want that to be autumn with flu muddying the water and filling up beds.

[Spam88]

But there are probably a huge number of kids whose parents fall into the work categories you've described, so are you really achieving anything. Add to that that you can probably exclude any teachers with children (if the government decided schools needed to be closed I certainly wouldn't want to be risking my children's health by looking after other people's) or elderly relatives/relatives with pre-existing conditions. That probably doesn't leave an awful lot of teachers for the number of kids you've got.

[WaterSheep]

flattening the curve, surely some (many?) schools will end up shut anyway because sickness will result in unworkable staffing levels. What will happen then?

I'm wondering the same thing. With the new guidance about coughs / fevers I expect quite a few staff will have to self-isolate.

[LemonTT]

BJ didn’t say he was not going to close schools, just not now. The reasoning is justified. When do they reopen?

[Cohle]

Yeah, I do know why schools can't keep operating a few large classes as childcare for parents who work in essential jobs.

It would only take a few teachers per school, and they could be (paid) volunteers - teachers who are young, in good health etc.

[Cohle]

*don't!

[roonilwazlibismynickname]

Again, we will be working from home and teaching remotely. Many of us will be teaching live through online software so that the lessons go ahead as normal. It’s not feasible at all.

[roonilwazlibismynickname]

But everybody knows that teachers only work 9-3 and get all those paid holidays so probably should. Be the general skivvies for everyone else

[Nuffaluff]

If the school is closed I will be working from home. I will be setting work online and marking work via email for thirty children. I also have professional development tasks that I’m required to do.
I will also be looking after my own young children and helping them with their school work.
So I should be working from home and looking after my own kids and, in addition to that, be an unpaid childminder?

[SisterVanHelsing]

OK, so it wouldn't work for teachers. (I used to be one, incidentally, so no need to attribute any specific attitudes towards them to me).

TAs/admin staff/kitchen staff? Ultimately I guess people will make their own ad hoc arrangements. It just all feels like seat-of-the-pants stuff at the moment.

[DoubleAction]

I think the biggest issue with the community creche type idea will be that by the time we get to that stage people will be far to scared to be around other people's children voluntarily and they certainly won't be risking their children to help out a neighbour.

I also don't think there'll be much remote teaching going on. I'm SLT and have been involved in some planning so it will be possible in theory but the reality will be that there will be much bigger social issues to deal with than trying to get children to do some school work. Plus, a lot of the students, teachers and their families will be ill.